Most four door vehicles with electrically operated power windows have a control module proximate the driver's seat. The module may be located between two front seats in a five passenger vehicle or on the driver's side door of a six passenger vehicle. In currently used configurations, the module includes a separate rocker or pushbutton switch for each window so that there are four rocker switches thereon. In addition to the rocker switches, the module usually includes a locking switch providing a feature for locking the passenger windows so that children in the back or right front seat cannot operate the windows without the driver unlocking the windows. This results in an array of five switches operable by the driver.
When a driver decides to open or close any window or to lock or unlock the rear windows, it is preferable that this task be as simple as possible.
In addition to the aforedescribed considerations, it is also desirable to decrease the expense of the various systems utilized in an automobile. If the expense of a particular system may be reduced while not compromising desirable qualities of the vehicle, then so much the better. If it is possible to reduce expense while enhancing other qualities of the vehicle, then the reduction in expense is certainly desirable. On way of reducing expense of a system is to reduce the number of components of the system. While this reduction in components may save only a modest amount per vehicle, if thousands of vehicles utilize the improvement, then the savings to the manufacturer and consumer can be significant, especially when combined with other cost reduction measures.